[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5770 Introduced in House (IH)]








109th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 5770

   To amend the Public Health Service Act to increase the physician 
manpower in the areas of primary care, psychiatric care, and emergency 
  medicine in federally designated physician shortage areas, and for 
                            other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 12, 2006

Mr. Conyers (for himself, Mrs. Christensen, Mr. Davis of Illinois, Mr. 
   Jackson of Illinois, Ms. Jackson-Lee of Texas, and Mr. Bishop of 
   Georgia) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                    Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To amend the Public Health Service Act to increase the physician 
manpower in the areas of primary care, psychiatric care, and emergency 
  medicine in federally designated physician shortage areas, and for 
                            other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``United States Physician Shortage 
Elimination Act of 2006''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) The average life expectancy in the United States has 
        increased to 80 years of age, causing an ever-increasing demand 
        for medical care.
            (2) In 1975, United States medical schools graduated 
        approximately 12,716 physicians. Half of these physicians 
        entered programs of medical studies as graduates of United 
        States colleges and universities. The other half consisted of 
        graduates of foreign institutions admitted to United States 
        medical schools under the J-1 Visa Program.
            (3) Presently, the number of applicants, foreign and 
        domestic, seeking admission to United States medical schools 
        has decreased to approximately 37,364.
            (4) During the last 20 years, median tuition and fees at 
        medical schools have increased by 745 percent (270 percent 
        adjusted for inflation) in private schools and by 876 percent 
        (318 percent adjusted for inflation) in public schools.
            (5) Physicians who graduated from medical schools in the 
        1970's will be leaving the profession within the next 10 years, 
        causing a decrease of 30 percent in the supply of physicians, 
        while the population will have increased by 24 percent.
            (6) The Indiana State Medical Licensing Board has estimated 
        that in 20 years there will be 200,000 fewer physicians 
        available to deliver medical services.
            (7) In 2005, the Council on Graduate Medical Education 
        stated in a report to Congress that there will be a shortage of 
        not fewer than 90,000 full-time physicians by 2020.
            (8) A decrease in Federal spending to carry out programs 
        authorized by title VII of the Public Health Service Act 
        threatens the viability of programs used to solve the problem 
        of inadequate access to health care.
            (9) A continuing decline in the number of family physicians 
        may lead to renewed shortages of safety net and rural 
        physicians.
            (10) There is a declining ability to recruit qualified 
        medical students from rural and underserved areas, coupled with 
        greater difficulty on the part of community health centers and 
        other clinics to attract adequate personnel.

SEC. 3. NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE CORPS MEDICAL SCHOOL SCHOLARSHIP 
              PROGRAM.

    (a) Program Authorized.--Subpart III of part D of title III of the 
Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254l et seq.) is amended--
            (1) in the heading by inserting ``, Medical School 
        Scholarship Program,'' after ``Scholarship Program''; and
            (2) by inserting after section 338A the following:

``SEC. 338A-1. NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE CORPS MEDICAL SCHOOL SCHOLARSHIP 
              PROGRAM.

    ``(a) Establishment.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall establish a program 
        to be known as the National Health Service Corps Medical School 
        Scholarship Program (in this subpart referred to as the 
        `Medical School Scholarship Program' to ensure, with respect to 
        the provision of primary health services, including primary 
        care, psychiatric care, and emergency medical services, 
        pursuant to section 331(a)(2), an adequate supply of 
        physicians. The purpose of the program is to train an 
        additional 5000 medical students each year.
            ``(2) Relationship to national health service corps 
        scholarship program.--Scholarships provided under this section 
        are intended to complement, and not take the place of, 
        scholarships provided to students enrolled in courses of study 
        leading to a degree in medicine or osteopathic medicine under 
        the National Health Service Corps Scholarship Program 
        authorized by section 338A.
    ``(b) Eligibility.--To be eligible to participate in the Medical 
School Scholarship Program, an individual must--
            ``(1) be accepted for enrollment as a full-time student--
                    ``(A) in an accredited (as determined by the 
                Secretary) educational institution in a State; and
                    ``(B) in a course of study, or program, offered by 
                such institution leading to a degree in medicine or 
                osteopathic medicine;
            ``(2) be eligible for, or hold, an appointment as a 
        commissioned officer in the Regular or Reserve Corps of the 
        Service or be eligible for selection for civilian service in 
        the Corps;
            ``(3) submit an application to participate in the Medical 
        School Scholarship Program; and
            ``(4) sign and submit to the Secretary, at the time of 
        submittal of such application, a written contract (described in 
        subsection (f)) to accept payment of a scholarship and to serve 
        (in accordance with this subpart) for the applicable period of 
        obligated service in a health professional shortage area.
    ``(c) Application, Contract, and Information Requirements.--
            ``(1) Summary and information.--In disseminating 
        application forms and contract forms to individuals desiring to 
        participate in the Medical School Scholarship Program, the 
        Secretary shall include with such forms--
                    ``(A) a fair summary of the rights and liabilities 
                of an individual whose application is approved (and 
                whose contract is accepted) by the Secretary, including 
                in the summary a clear explanation of the damages to 
                which the United States is entitled under section 338E 
                in the case of the individual's breach of the contract; 
                and
                    ``(B) information respecting meeting a service 
                obligation through private practice under an agreement 
                under section 338D and such other information as may be 
                necessary for the individual to understand the 
                individual's prospective participation in the Medical 
                School Scholarship Program and service in the Corps, 
                including a statement of all factors considered in 
                approving applications for participation in the Program 
                and in making assignments for participants in the 
                Program.
            ``(2) Understandability and clarity.--The application form, 
        contract form, and all other information furnished by the 
        Secretary under this subpart shall be written in a manner 
        calculated to be understood by the average individual applying 
        to participate in the Medical School Scholarship Program.
            ``(3) Availability.--The Secretary shall make such 
        application forms, contract forms, and other information 
        available to individuals desiring to participate in the Medical 
        School Scholarship Program on a date sufficiently early to 
        ensure that such individuals have adequate time to carefully 
        review and evaluate such forms and information.
            ``(4) Recruitment and retention.--
                    ``(A) Distribution of materials.--The Secretary 
                shall distribute to schools of medicine, schools of 
                osteopathic medicine, and medical organizations 
                participating in a medical pipeline program described 
                in section 749 materials providing information on the 
                Medical School Scholarship Program and shall encourage 
                the schools and organizations to disseminate the 
                materials to students of the schools and students being 
                recruited through the medical pipeline program.
                    ``(B) Retention of health professionals in shortage 
                areas.--
                            ``(i) Health professionals nearing 
                        completion of obligated service.--In the case 
                        of any health professional whose period of 
                        obligated service under the Medical School 
                        Scholarship Program is nearing completion, the 
                        Secretary shall encourage the individual to 
                        remain in a health professional shortage area 
                        and to continue providing primary health 
                        services.
                            ``(ii) Health professionals making a 
                        transition to private practice.--During the 
                        period in which a health professional is 
                        planning and making the transition to private 
                        practice from obligated service under the 
                        Medical School Scholarship Program, the 
                        Secretary may provide assistance to the 
                        professional regarding such transition if the 
                        professional is remaining in a health 
                        professional shortage area and is continuing to 
                        provide primary health services.
                    ``(C) Options to encourage health professionals to 
                remain in health professional shortage areas.--In the 
                case of entities to which participants in the Medical 
                School Scholarship Program are assigned under section 
                333, the Secretary shall encourage the entities to 
                provide options with respect to assisting the 
                participants in remaining in the health professional 
                shortage areas involved, and in continuing to provide 
                primary health services, after the period of obligated 
                service under the Medical School Scholarship Program is 
                completed. The options with respect to which the 
                Secretary provides such encouragement may include 
                options regarding the sharing of a single employment 
                position in the health professions by 2 or more health 
                professionals, and options regarding the recruitment of 
                couples where both of the individuals are health 
                professionals.
    ``(d) Considerations in Providing Contracts.--
            ``(1) Factors.--Subject to section 333A, in providing 
        contracts under the Medical School Scholarship Program, the 
        Secretary--
                    ``(A) shall consider--
                            ``(i) the extent of the demonstrated 
                        interest of the applicants for the contracts in 
                        providing primary health services; and
                            ``(ii) the extent of the demonstrated 
                        interest of the applicants for the contracts in 
                        working with underserved communities; and
                    ``(B) may consider such other factors regarding the 
                applicants as the Secretary determines to be relevant 
                to selecting qualified individuals to participate in 
                such Program.
            ``(2) Highest priority.--In providing contracts under the 
        Medical School Scholarship Program, the Secretary shall give 
        highest priority to any application for such a contract 
        submitted by an individual who has been recruited and admitted 
        to a medical school through a medical pipeline program 
        described in section 749.
            ``(3) Second-highest priority.--In providing contracts 
        under the Medical School Scholarship Program, the Secretary 
        shall give second-highest priority--
                    ``(A) to any application for such a contract 
                submitted by an individual who has (and whose spouse, 
                if any, has) characteristics that increase the 
                probability that the individual will continue to serve 
                in a health professional shortage area after the period 
                of obligated service pursuant to subsection (f) is 
                completed; and
                    ``(B) subject to subparagraph (A), to any 
                application for such a contract submitted by an 
                individual who is from a disadvantaged background and 
                who would otherwise be unable to afford a medical 
                school education.
    ``(e) Approval Required.--
            ``(1) Approval of participation.--An individual becomes a 
        participant in the Medical School Scholarship Program only upon 
        the Secretary's approval of the individual's application 
        submitted under subsection (b)(3) and the Secretary's 
        acceptance of the contract submitted by the individual under 
        subsection (b)(4).
            ``(2) Written notice.--The Secretary shall provide written 
        notice to an individual promptly upon the Secretary's 
        approving, under paragraph (1), of the individual's 
        participation in the Medical School Scholarship Program.
    ``(f) Contents of Contracts.--The written contract (referred to in 
this subpart) between the Secretary and an individual shall contain--
            ``(1) an agreement that--
                    ``(A) subject to paragraph (2), the Secretary 
                agrees--
                            ``(i) to provide the individual with a 
                        scholarship (described in subsection (g)) 
                        during the entire period in which the 
                        individual is pursuing a course of study 
                        described in subsection (b)(1)(B), with such 
                        period not to exceed 5 years; and
                            ``(ii) to accept (subject to the 
                        availability of appropriated funds for carrying 
                        out sections 331 through 335 and section 337) 
                        the individual into the Corps (or for 
                        equivalent service as otherwise provided in 
                        this subpart); and
                    ``(B) subject to paragraph (2), the individual 
                agrees--
                            ``(i) to accept provision of such a 
                        scholarship to the individual;
                            ``(ii) to maintain enrollment in a course 
                        of study described in subsection (b)(1)(B) 
                        until the individual completes the course of 
                        study;
                            ``(iii) while enrolled in such course of 
                        study, to maintain an acceptable level of 
                        academic standing (as determined under 
                        regulations of the Secretary by the educational 
                        institution offering such course of study);
                            ``(iv) to complete a residency in a 
                        specialty that the Secretary determines is 
                        consistent with the needs of the Corps, except 
                        that the Secretary shall not determine the 
                        location of the residency training; and
                            ``(v) to serve for a time period 
                        (hereinafter in the subpart referred to as the 
                        `period of obligated service') equal to 6 
                        years, as a provider of primary health services 
                        in a health professional shortage area 
                        (designated under section 332) to which the 
                        individual is assigned by the Secretary as a 
                        member of the Corps, or as otherwise provided 
                        in this subpart;
            ``(2) a provision that any financial obligation of the 
        United States arising out of a contract entered into under this 
        subpart and any obligation of the individual which is 
        conditioned thereon, is contingent upon funds being 
        appropriated for scholarships under this subpart and to carry 
        out the purposes of sections 331 through 335 and sections 337 
        and 338;
            ``(3) a statement of the damages to which the United States 
        is entitled, under section 338E for the individual's breach of 
        the contract; and
            ``(4) such other statements of the rights and liabilities 
        of the Secretary and of the individual, not inconsistent with 
        the provisions of this subpart.
    ``(g) Scholarships.--
            ``(1) In general.--A scholarship provided to a student for 
        a school year under a written contract under the Medical School 
        Scholarship Program shall consist of--
                    ``(A) payment to, or (in accordance with paragraph 
                (2)) on behalf of, the student of the amount (except as 
                provided in section 711) of--
                            ``(i) the tuition of the student in such 
                        school year; and
                            ``(ii) all other reasonable educational 
                        expenses, including fees, books, and laboratory 
                        expenses, incurred by the student in such 
                        school year; and
                    ``(B) payment to the student of a stipend of--
                            ``(i) $2500 per month (adjusted in 
                        accordance with paragraph (3)) for each of the 
                        12 consecutive months beginning with the first 
                        month of such school year during the first and 
                        second school years of the program of study 
                        leading to a degree in medicine or osteopathic 
                        medicine; and
                            ``(ii) $3000 per month (adjusted in 
                        accordance with paragraph (3)) for each of the 
                        12 consecutive months beginning with the first 
                        month of such school year during each 
                        subsequent school year of the program of study 
                        leading to a degree in medicine or osteopathic 
                        medicine.
            ``(2) Contracts with schools of medicine and schools of 
        osteopathic medicine.--The Secretary may contract with a school 
        of medicine or school of osteopathic medicine, in which a 
        participant in the Medical School Scholarship Program is 
        enrolled, for the payment to the school of the amounts of 
        tuition and other reasonable educational expenses described in 
        paragraph (1)(A). Payment to such a school may be made without 
        regard to section 3648 of the Revised Statutes (31 U.S.C. 529).
            ``(3) Adjustment of monthly stipend.--The amount of the 
        monthly stipend, specified in paragraph (1)(B) and as 
        previously adjusted (if at all) in accordance with this 
        paragraph, shall be increased by the Secretary for each school 
        year ending in a fiscal year beginning after September 30, 
        2010, by an amount (rounded to the next highest multiple of $1) 
        equal to the amount of such stipend multiplied by the overall 
        percentage (under section 5303 of title 5, United States Code) 
        of the adjustment (if such adjustment is an increase) in the 
        rates of pay under the General Schedule made effective in the 
        fiscal year in which such school year ends.
    ``(h) Employment Ceiling.--Notwithstanding any other provision of 
law, individuals who have entered into written contracts with the 
Secretary under this section, while undergoing academic training, shall 
not be counted against any employment ceiling affecting the Department.
    ``(i) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated $425,000,000 for fiscal year 2007 and such sums as may be 
necessary in each fiscal year thereafter to carry out this section.''.
    (b) Obligated Service.--Section 338C of such Act (42 U.S.C. 254m) 
is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a) by striking ``338A'' and inserting 
        ``338A, 338A-1,'';
            (2) in subsection (b)(1) by striking ``338A(f)(1)(B)(v)'' 
        and inserting ``338A(f)(1)(B)(v), 338A-1(f)(1)(B)(v),''; and
            (3) in subsection (b)(5)(A) by striking ``the Scholarship 
        Program'' and inserting ``the Scholarship Program and the 
        Medical School Scholarship Program''.
    (c) Private Practice.--Section 338D of such Act (42 U.S.C. 254n) is 
amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)(1) by striking ``the Scholarship 
        Program'' and inserting ``the Scholarship Program or the 
        Medical School Scholarship Program''; and
            (2) in subsection (c) by striking ``338A'' and inserting 
        ``338A, 338A-1,''.
    (d) Breach of Scholarship Contract.--Section 338E of such Act (42 
U.S.C. 254o) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``338A'' each place it appears and 
        inserting ``338A or 338A-1'';
            (2) by striking ``the Scholarship Program'' each place it 
        appears and inserting ``the Scholarship Program or the Medical 
        School Scholarship Program'';
            (3) in subsection (b)(1)(A) by striking 
        ``338A(f)(1)(B)(iv)'' and inserting ``338A(f)(1)(B)(iv) or 
        338A-1(f)(1)(B)(iv)'';
            (4) in subsection (b)(3)(B) by striking ``338A(g)'' and 
        inserting ``338A(g) or 338A-1(g)''; and
            (5) in subsection (d)(3)(B)(i) by striking ``the 
        Scholarship or Loan Repayment Program (or contract 
        thereunder)'' and inserting ``the Scholarship Program, the 
        Medical School Scholarship Program, or the Loan Repayment 
        Program (or a contract under any of such programs)''.
    (e) Fund Regarding Use of Amounts Recovered for Contract Breach to 
Replace Services Lost as Result of Breach.--Section 338F of such Act 
(42 U.S.C. 254o-1) is amended by striking ``338A'' each place it 
appears and inserting ``338A, 338A-1,''.

SEC. 4. GRANTS TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF AVAILABLE SLOTS FOR NEWLY 
              ADMITTED MEDICAL STUDENTS AND TO INCREASE PARTICIPATION 
              IN THE NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE CORPS MEDICAL SCHOOL 
              SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM.

    Part C of title VII of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 
293k et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

``SEC. 749. GRANTS TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF AVAILABLE SLOTS FOR NEWLY 
              ADMITTED MEDICAL STUDENTS AND TO INCREASE PARTICIPATION 
              IN THE NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE CORPS MEDICAL SCHOOL 
              SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM.

    ``(a) Grants to Medical Schools.--
            ``(1) Program authorized.--The Secretary may make grants to 
        medical schools for the following purposes:
                    ``(A) To increase the capacity of the recipient 
                medical school to accept additional medical students 
                each year.
                    ``(B) To develop curriculum.
                    ``(C) To acquire equipment.
                    ``(D) To recruit, train, and retain faculty.
                    ``(E) To provide assistance to students who have 
                completed a course of study at the recipient medical 
                school during the period in which such students are 
                completing a residency program affiliated with the 
                recipient medical school.
            ``(2) Application.--A medical school seeking a grant under 
        this subsection shall submit an application to the Secretary at 
        such time, in such manner, and containing such information as 
        the Secretary may require.
            ``(3) Priority for additional slots.--Priority for 
        additional slots made available using funds from a grant 
        awarded under this subsection shall be given to students who 
        have been recruited by the recipient medical school through a 
        medical school pipeline program described in subsection (b)(2).
    ``(b) Grants to Medical Organizations.--
            ``(1) Program authorized.--The Secretary may make grants to 
        eligible medical organizations for the following purposes:
                    ``(A) To recruit students to participate in the 
                National Health Service Corps Medical School 
                Scholarship Program authorized by section 338A-1 (in 
                this section referred to as the `Medical School 
                Scholarship Program').
                    ``(B) To participate in a medical school pipeline 
                program described in paragraph (2).
            ``(2) Medical school pipeline program.--A medical school 
        pipeline program is a program to target minority students to 
        increase the number of minority health professionals serving 
        medically underserved communities through activities including 
        tutoring, course development, and other student support 
        designed to recruit students from middle schools, high schools, 
        and universities to participate in the Medical School 
        Scholarship Program.
            ``(3) Grant amounts.--The Secretary shall determine the 
        amount of a grant based on factors including the cost of living 
        and health care needs of the State for which students are 
        recruited.
            ``(4) Application.--A medical organization seeking a grant 
        under this subsection shall submit an application to the 
        Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such 
        information as the Secretary may require, including--
                    ``(A) a description of how the organization will 
                carry out the purposes described in subsection (b)(1);
                    ``(B) a description of goals and objectives with 
                respect to--
                            ``(i) the intended number of students to be 
                        accepted and graduated from medical schools 
                        each year under the grant program established 
                        under this subsection;
                            ``(ii) the intended number of newly 
                        graduated students who will serve in medically 
                        underserved communities; and
                            ``(iii) the intended number of individuals 
                        in medically underserved communities who will 
                        have access to primary care physicians as a 
                        result of the increase in graduating physicians 
                        under the grant program; and
                    ``(C) information regarding the anticipated number 
                of Medical School Scholarship students the organization 
                seeks to recruit.
            ``(5) Reports required.--
                    ``(A) Grant recipients.--A recipient of a grant 
                under this subsection shall submit to the Secretary at 
                the end of each fiscal year in which a grant is 
                received, a report containing the following:
                            ``(i) The amount of the grant received 
                        under this subsection.
                            ``(ii) An expense report detailing the use 
                        of amounts from a grant under this subsection.
                            ``(iii) A description of the results of the 
                        use of amounts from a grant under this 
                        subsection.
                    ``(B) Secretary.--At the end of each fiscal year in 
                which grants under this subsection are made, the 
                Secretary shall compile and submit to Congress the 
                information received under paragraph (5)(A).
    ``(c) Definitions.--In this section, the following definitions 
apply:
            ``(1) Medical school.--The term `medical school' means a 
        school of medicine or a school of osteopathic medicine.
            ``(2) Medical school scholarship student.--The term 
        `Medical School Scholarship Student' means a student who is a 
        recipient of a scholarship under the Health Service Corps 
        Medical School Scholarship Program authorized by section 338A-
        1.
            ``(3) Medical organization.--The term `medical 
        organization' means a national, State, local, or community-
        based public or nonprofit private organization having as its 
        mission the goal of identifying and recruiting minority 
        students for health professions.
    ``(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated--
            ``(1) $500,000,000 for fiscal year 2007 and such sums as 
        may be necessary in each fiscal year thereafter to carry out 
        subsection (a); and
            ``(2) $35,000,000 for fiscal year 2007 and such sums as may 
        be necessary in each fiscal year thereafter to carry out 
        subsection (b).''.

SEC. 5. EXPANSION OF RESIDENCY PROGRAMS AND PRIMARY CARE SERVICES 
              OFFERED BY COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS.

    Part C of title VII of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 
293k et seq.) is amended by adding after section 749 the following:

``SEC. 749A. GRANTS TO ESTABLISH MEDICAL RESIDENCY PROGRAMS AT 
              COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS.

    ``(a) Program Authorized.--The Secretary may make grants to 
community health centers to establish, at the centers, new or 
alternative-campus accredited medical residency programs affiliated 
with accredited medical programs.
    ``(b) Use of Funds.--Amounts from a grant under this section shall 
be used to cover the costs of establishing the medical residency 
program described in subsection (a), including costs associated with--
            ``(1) curriculum development;
            ``(2) equipment acquisition; and
            ``(3) recruitment, training, and retention of residents and 
        faculty.
    ``(c) Applications.--A community health center seeking a grant 
under this section shall submit an application to the Secretary at such 
time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary 
may require.
    ``(d) Review of Applications.--In reviewing applications submitted 
under subsection (c), and in selecting recipients for a grant under 
this section, the Secretary shall give preference to funding medical 
residency programs focusing on providing training in primary care, 
psychiatric care, and emergency care medicine.
    ``(e) Definitions.--In this section, the following definitions 
apply:
            ``(1) Accredited.--The term `accredited', as applied to a 
        new or alternative-campus medical residency program, means a 
        program that is accredited by a recognized body or bodies 
        approved for such purpose by the Accreditation Council for 
        Graduate Medical Education, except that a new medical residency 
        program that, by reason of an insufficient period of operation, 
        is not eligible for accreditation on or before the date of 
        submission of an application under subsection (c) shall be 
        deemed accredited if the Accreditation Council for Graduate 
        Medical Education finds, after consultation with the 
        appropriate accreditation body or bodies, that there is 
        reasonable assurance that the program will meet the 
        accreditation standards of such body or bodies prior to the 
        date of graduation of the first entering class in that program.
            ``(2) Community health center.--The term `community health 
        center' means a health center as defined in section 330.
            ``(3) Medical program.--The term `medical program' means a 
        program in medicine or a program in osteopathic medicine.

``SEC. 749B. GRANTS TO IMPROVE DELIVERY OF PRIMARY CARE SERVICES IN 
              COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS.

    ``(a) Primary Care Access Grants.--
            ``(1) Program authorized.--The Secretary, acting through 
        the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services 
        Administration, may make grants to community health centers for 
        the purpose of increasing the number of medical service 
        providers associated with such centers.
            ``(2) Grants.--A recipient of a grant under this subsection 
        shall be eligible to receive such grants for five fiscal years.
            ``(3) Use of funds.--A recipient of a grant under this 
        subsection shall use amounts from the grant for one or more of 
        the following activities:
                    ``(A) To recruit residents for medical residency 
                programs at community health centers from among 
                students who are recipients of a scholarship under the 
                National Health Service Corps Medical School 
                Scholarship Program authorized by section 338A-1.
                    ``(B) To establish a multi-community physician 
                mentoring program to encourage upper level residents to 
                remain in the State in which the community health 
                center and medical residency program are located.
                    ``(C) To enter into contracts for technical 
                assistance for the purpose of recruiting or retaining 
                primary care staff.
                    ``(D) To enter into contracts for technical 
                assistance in preparing contracts with local providers 
                of primary health care to provide services for 
                medically underserved communities.
            ``(4) Application.--A community health center seeking a 
        grant under this subsection shall submit an application to the 
        Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such 
        information as the Secretary may require.
    ``(b) Grants for Primary Care Facility Capital Expenditures.--
            ``(1) Program authorized.--The Secretary, acting through 
        the Administrator, may make grants to community health centers 
        for the purpose of increasing primary care capabilities through 
        the construction, expansion, or renovation of facilities.
            ``(2) Grants.--A recipient of a grant under this subsection 
        shall be eligible to receive such grants for 5 fiscal years.
            ``(3) Use of funds.--A recipient of a grant under this 
        subsection shall use amounts from the grant for one or more of 
        the following activities:
                    ``(A) To acquire or lease facilities.
                    ``(B) To construct new facilities.
                    ``(C) To repair or modernize existing facilities.
                    ``(D) To purchase or lease medical equipment.
    ``(c) Definitions.--In this section, the following definitions 
apply:
            ``(1) Community health center.--The term `community health 
        center' means a health center as defined in section 330.
            ``(2) Medical school.--The term `medical school' means a 
        school of medicine or a school of osteopathic medicine.

``SEC. 749C. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS TO ASSIST COMMUNITY HEALTH 
              CENTERS.

    ``There is authorized to be appropriated $200,000,000 for fiscal 
year 2007 and such sums as may be necessary for each fiscal year 
thereafter to carry out sections 749A and 749B.''.
                                 <all>